The Genetic Height Potential Calculator predicts a child's adult height based on both parents' heights.
Uses the official IDAI (Indonesian Pediatric Association) formula that accounts for the average height difference between males and females. The result is a potential height range (plus or minus 8.5 cm from the midpoint) influenced by genetics, nutrition, and environment.
Disclaimer: Prediction results are estimates. Consult a pediatrician for a comprehensive growth evaluation.
Calculator information
📋 How to use this calculator
- Select the child's sex (boy or girl).
- Enter the father's height in centimeters (cm).
- Enter the mother's height in centimeters (cm).
- Click calculate to see the child's genetic height potential (GHP) at adulthood.
- Review the potential height range (±8.5 cm from the midpoint) as a realistic estimate.
- Compare with the child's current height and the CDC/WHO growth charts for evaluation.
🧮 Mid-Parental Height (Tanner Method)
GHP boys = ((Father Height + Mother Height + 13) / 2) ± 8.5 cm; GHP girls = ((Father Height + Mother Height - 13) / 2) ± 8.5 cm
- Father Height = biological father's height in cm
- Mother Height = biological mother's height in cm
- 13 cm = average difference between adult male and female height
- ±8.5 cm = normal variation range (1 standard deviation)
- Result is shown as a range: midpoint ± 8.5 cm
Original Tanner-Davies formula; the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC use this mid-parental height method for routine pediatric growth screening.
💡 Worked example: Boy with a 170 cm father and a 158 cm mother
Given:- Child sex = Boy
- Father height = 170 cm
- Mother height = 158 cm
Steps:- Sum of parents' heights + 13 (for boys) = 170 + 158 + 13 = 341
- Divide by 2 = 341 / 2 = 170.5 cm (GHP midpoint)
- Lower bound = 170.5 - 8.5 = 162 cm
- Upper bound = 170.5 + 8.5 = 179 cm
- GHP for a boy: 162-179 cm (95% probability of falling in this range)
- For a girl from the same parents: (170+158-13)/2 = 157.5 cm, range 149-166 cm
Result: The boy's genetic height potential is estimated at 170.5 cm (range 162-179 cm) at adulthood.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Will a child definitely reach their genetic height potential?
Not always. GHP is the maximum potential based on genes, but the actual outcome depends on many factors: nutrition (especially in the first 1,000 days), physical activity, sleep, health status, and hormones. According to the CDC and AAP, genetics accounts for 60-80% of final height, with the remaining 20-40% from environmental factors. Children with stunted growth (length/height < -2 SD) struggle to reach GHP. Ensure adequate protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D intake, and have regular pediatric growth checkups.
When do children stop growing taller?
The growth plates in long bones close after puberty ends. Girls typically stop growing around age 14-16 (about 2 years after their first menstrual period). Boys stop around age 16-18, with some growing until 21. Indicators that puberty is complete: full facial hair in boys, fully developed breasts and regular menstruation in girls. After the growth plates close, additional height gain is no longer naturally possible.
Can sports like basketball and swimming increase height?
Exercise does not directly increase height beyond genetic potential, but it can help optimize achievement of GHP. Basketball, swimming, cycling, and jump rope stimulate growth hormone, which peaks during deep sleep and intense training. Exercise also improves posture so maximum height is visible. The myth that sports 'stretch bones' is false; what matters is hormone stimulation and nutrition during the growth period.
What is stunting and how can it be prevented?
Stunting is a chronic growth disorder where a child's length/height is below -2 SD of the WHO median. Main causes: malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to age 2), recurrent infections, and poor sanitation. The CDC and WHO recommend prevention through: exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, nutritious complementary feeding, complete immunizations, safe sanitation, and routine well-child checkups with a pediatrician.
Are growth hormone injections safe and effective?
Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy is only FDA-recommended for specific medical conditions: growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, or SGA infants who fail to catch up. It is not recommended for normal-height children who simply want to be taller. Potential side effects: joint pain, edema, increased intracranial pressure, and diabetes risk. Treatment is expensive ($1,000-$3,000/month, lasting 2-5 years) and requires a prescription from a pediatric endocrinologist.
📚 Sources & references
Last updated: May 11, 2026